Media Literacy and Source Reliability

Television commercials are designed mainly to ______ viewers to buy products or try new services. Choice 1: A. entertain B. inform C. persuade

• entertain

• inform

• persuade

A student argues, "We should have healthier options in the cafeteria." Another student replies, "So you want to ban all junk food and force everyone to eat vegetables?" How does the response use a straw man fallacy?

• It uses strong language that makes food choices seem extreme.

• It relies on numbers or data that are presented inaccurately.

• It changes the original claim into a more extreme version that is easier to argue against.

• It compares two ideas that are not actually related to one another.

Amaya is writing a report about climate change. She finds two sources: a scientific article written by a climate researcher with references to multiple studies, and a blog post with personal opinions and no cited evidence. Which source is more reliable for Amaya's report?

• The scientific article with references

• The blog post with personal opinions

• A social media post that many people liked

• A news article with no sources cited

Which statement provides evidence to support the answer for part A?

• The social media post is more reliable because many people liked and shared it, so it seems popular

• The news article is more reliable because it sounds official, even though it does not provide sources

• The blog post is more reliable because it shares the author's personal opinions and experiences, even without references

• The scientific article is more reliable because it was written by an expert and cites multiple studies

Kara wants to compare healthy snack options. She finds a nutrition book in the library and a video on a personal YouTube channel recommending snacks. Which source is more reliable for his research?

• The nutrition book, because it provides facts, references, and reliable guidance

• The YouTube video, because the person speaks confidently and looks knowledgeable

• The YouTube video, because it has thousands of views and likes

• The nutrition book, because it has pictures of food and appealing designs

A news organization publishes an article about a local election, while people share reactions to the election on social media. Which statements best describe the difference between these two sources? Choose TWO correct answers.

• News articles are designed to entertain readers while social media posts are designed only to report events and information.

• The news article is designed to inform the public using researched facts, while social media posts often share personal opinions and reactions.

• News organizations usually follow editorial standards, while social media content is less regulated and can vary in reliability.

• Social media reactions are required to include evidence and verified sources, while news articles are not.

• Social media posts are always more accurate than news articles because they come directly from individuals.

Which option best defines the straw man fallacy?

• Citing many sources to overwhelm the reader with evidence

• Creating an exaggerated version of someone’s claim to make it easier to attack

• Using emotional stories instead of logical reasoning

• Presenting biased data to mislead the audience

When judging source reliability, which feature is most important?

• Entertaining design and catchy titles

• Clear citations to studies and evidence

• Personal experiences from single individuals

• Popularity measured by likes and shares

An ad for a luxury watch says, "Wearing this watch is the same as being a successful leader — it shows you've made it." Which statement correctly explains the fallacious reasoning in this ad?

• It falsely equates owning a product with personal success

• It shows only leaders are permitted to purchase the watch

• It explains how watches improve time management skills

• It proves leaders choose accessories based on careful research

A city official says, "Anyone who supports raising taxes clearly doesn't care about hardworking families." Which statement correctly explains the fallacious reasoning in this claim?

• It presents every reason someone could favor higher taxes

• It relies on detailed economic evidence for the claim

• It shows raising taxes affects all families in the same way

• It assumes policy positions always reveal a person's values